Cilantro Pesto

This one is so easy, and great- spicy from the cilantro and mellowed by the nuts.
Try this on grilled salmon with a corn and tomato salad. Or with shrimp fajitas with avocado, mango, and black beans. Or fish with mango salsa and green chili polenta!
Hmmm- maybe try it with the beer OR with wine...not both?
Cilantro Macadamia Nut Pesto-

~Combine in food processor:
2 cups, loose packed, washed and dried,fresh cilantro leaves, (it takes a while to remove the little leaves from the stems- it’s ok to have a few stems, but make sure you process them till finely chopped) 6 – 8 roasted garlic cloves, (or 2 minced fresh), 3/4c dry roasted, salted macadamia nuts , and juice from 1 lime.

~Process until roughly ground and then slowly drizzle in:
3/4 c olive oil or peanut oil
~Process until finely ground and creamy.

~ Add salt to taste- if you like it spicier- increase the cilantro a bit.

Serve with shrimp or chicken or fish-

Tuna Cakes

We need to come up with a better name for these- it doesn't do them justice! It's one of the things I serve that most people start out with a timid tiny serving and then come back for more. The key is really the slivered almonds with the sesame oil and the sushi flavorings of the ginger aioli, avocado, soy, wasabi- that's enough favorite tastes to make anything good- even canned albacore.



Tuna Cakes or.....anybody have a new name?
~Chop in rough dice and sauté in sesame oil (or sesame/olive oil)
1 walla walla sweet onion
4 ribs celery
1 seeded sweet red or yellow bell pepper
2-3 cloves garlic
let cool- add 1- 8 oz can chopped water chestnuts
~Process to fine grind (don’t let it get too mushy) set aside

~Toast 1 cup whole almonds- cool and rough grind in food processor (set aside)
~Process french bread (or other) to make 6-8 cups soft bread crumbs or
substitute Japanese Panko crumbs. (set aside)

~Process to blend:
8 oz cream cheese (I use soy cream cheese- but it shouldn’t matter)
1 TBL ground ginger
2 TBL sesame oil
soy sauce to taste- 1 tbl?
2 eggs
3/4 cup mayonnaise (nobody said these were low fat!)
juice of one lime (or to taste)
1-2 tsp powdered wasabi
~Combine 5 (6oz?) cans of drained albacore tuna (flake into little pieces)
with:
the veggies, the almonds, the mayo stuff

~Add handfuls of the bread crumbs until it’ll hold together enough to form into small hamburger size patties- dip the patties in more crumbs to cover and set on wax paper lined cookie sheet. Cover and chill for 30mins or so. Saute in oil ( I use a combination of wasabi oil, garlic oil and sesame oil with olive oil) until browned.
Drain before serving.
Serve with:
ginger, soy aioli (just mix up flavors with mayo to taste)
wasabi oil (available at Newport Market) or wasabi paste
pickled ginger, green onions, and avocado slices
~Makes a bunch- like 18 or so. These also freeze well. Okay to sauté right from the freezer- not quite as pretty and they spit and fizzle a bit- but great to have on hand! You should be able to halve the recipe –

Mustardy Fish Marinade

Citrus and Mustard Marinade.
Great for a big group!


This came from my sister in law a long time ago. I forget about how great and easy it is-and yet sophisticated too. I use it on mild fish- but it'd be great on pork or chicken.



~ Combine:
3 tbls olive oil
2 tbls sweet hot mustard
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbls lemon juice
1 tbls orange rind
Juice of 1/2 orange

~ And use to marinate for 15-20 mins:
1 1/2 lb firm white fish fillet (salt and pepper to taste)

~Remove fish from marinade and broil or grill

~Heat marinade in small sauce pan with 3 tbls fresh chopped parsley

Serve fish with marinade – garnish with fresh cilantro and orange slices
Serves 4-6